Legacy 104: Halliwell Family Values
by Dozo14
Summary: As the Halliwells prepare to face the Source of All Evil, Phoebe returns to San Francisco after a disturbing premonition. Meanwhile, more shocking family secrets will be revealed and Prue tries to sort out her feelings for Matt.
1. Chapter 1

Legacy 104: Halliwell Family Values

Xxx

_In a dark cavern in the Underworld, a woman with dark skin dressed in a blood red cloak stood over a large cauldron with a boiling dark liquid. Her name was The Seer. A tall man in a dark suit stood across from her, though his face was obscured by shadows. As she stirred the cauldron, the woman spoke in a menacing voice._

"_Tomorrow's harvest moon will be the one chance to impregnate your wife. The power of the moon combined with this tonic will make her fertile to a demon's seed. And if you succeed, the evil spawn growing inside her will influence her only for lenience so that when she does discover the truth, she will bend to your will."_

* * *

_A twenty-seven year old Phoebe Halliwell stood across from The Seer in the same dark cavern. As she backed away, she placed her hand on her young pregnant belly to protect her unborn child._

"_You and I share the same gift." The Seer told her. "We both can sense the truth. From the moment Cole absorbed the Source's power, you've sensed something different about him. Something that's changed him forever. You know the truth."_

"_Cole is the Source." Phoebe realized._

"_Yes. And he needs your help if he hopes to survive." The Seer said. "He needs your love. You can't keep fighting it. The maternal bond is too strong, listen to your body, Phoebe. Listen to your unborn son. He takes after his father."_

"_His father lied to me." Phoebe said as she looked down on her belly._

"_He never lied about his feelings for you. And despite my best efforts he never stopped loving you." The Seer said as she walked forward and touched her belly. "Oh, your son was conceived in love, you know that. It's time to stop fighting it. It's time to embrace your new family, your new destiny, otherwise Cole and your son will die."_

* * *

_Phoebe, now with shorter dark hair dressed in a robe, entered the penthouse. Her love Cole stood near the windows with a Fire Ball in his hands, while her sisters and Leo stood on the other side of the room. Phoebe picked up a crystal from the floor._

"_I'm sorry, it's, it's for the best." Cole said desperately._

"_I know it is." Phoebe replied serenely._

_Phoebe walked closer to Cole and he made the Fire Ball disappear from his hands. Phoebe leaned in and kissed him, one last kiss of true love. She then backed away from him with a saddened look._

"_I'm sorry too." Phoebe whispered as she placed the crystal on the floor, forming a crystal cage around Cole._

_With tears in her eyes, Phoebe backed away and joined her sisters. Cole desperately pleaded as the Charmed Ones started casting the vanquishing spell. Phoebe adverted her eyes as Cole screamed and erupted in flames. He exploded in a blast of fire that threw them all off their feet._

* * *

_In a large cavern, a large metal cage stood surrounded by candles. A young and fearful Paige Matthews stood in the cage and watched in horror as Phoebe appeared in flames, her eyes consumed by darkness. Phoebe kneeled down before the Seer as she chanted a spell. A light emerged from Phoebe and the unborn child in her womb was transferred to the Seer. As the child left her body, Phoebe returned to her true self._

"_My baby." Phoebe whispered as she felt empty._

"_He was never yours, or Cole's." The Seer told her. "From the moment of conception this baby was mine."_

* * *

_Proudly, the Seer stepped forward about to vanquish all three Charmed Ones, trapped in the metal cage inside the coronation room. However, before she could, her head erupted in flames and she cried out in pain._

"_It's the baby. He has too much power for her." Phoebe said._

_When the flames disappeared, the Seer turned her attention back to the sisters. She held out her hand and a stream of intense blue fire shot at the cage. However, the Charmed Ones recited the Power of Three spell and it shielded them from the blast. The Seer raised another hand and increased the power of her magic. Suddenly, the stream rebounded and hit the Seer. As she cried out in pain, the stream erupted in several streams and hit every demon present. As the power become too much for her, the Seer was engulfed in a powerful that that vanquished all demons present._

* * *

_In the underworld, a young man with short black hair and dark brown eyes walked through a dark hallway. He emerged in a large room with several torches and stopped in the center. He looked down on several scorch marks on the floor and a destroyed metal cage in the corner. He then look up at the ceiling and his eyes became engulfed in flames before turning pitch black._

Xxx

With a scream of terror, fifty-four year old Phoebe Halliwell shot up from her hotel bedroom completely soaked in sweat. She gasped for breath as she tried to calm down from that horrible nightmare. Next to her, her husband Coop groaned in his sleep and turned around. Not wanting to wake him, Phoebe slipped out of bed dressed in a long purple gown and locked herself in the bathroom. She walked to the sink and threw some cold water on her face.

"What is going on?" Phoebe asked herself.

She had not had nightmares like those in decades. Not since she had met Coop and had their three beautiful daughters. Her most dreaded memories had worked their way back into her mind once again. They had seemed so life-like, as if she had lived through them all over again. They were all connected to the darkest chapter of her life. A time she tried her best to forget. She tried to tell herself they were just memories, that it was all in the past. However, deep down, she knew she was lying to herself. The last thing she saw was not a memory, nor was it in the past. It was a premonition of the present.

Phoebe had recognized the young man in her dreams. She had seen him before. He was the Source of All Evil, in his new mysterious body that had sent chills down her spine he first time she had seen him. It was all connected to her dream, her memories. As Phoebe looked at herself in the mirror, she imagined her own eyes being engulfed in flames and turning black for a split second. She knew she could no longer deny the truth she had been suspecting for the last few weeks. She needed to get back to San Francisco and face it.

Xxx

Late at night, Chris Halliwell yawned as he leaned against the old couch in the attic while flipping through the Book of Shadows that was resting on his lap. Even though he was tired, he did not want to give up or go to bed. He needed to find a way to vanquish the Source before he destroyed his family. He was too great a threat to let rest, so they needed to go on the offensive. When the door opened, Chris looked and saw his brother enter the attic. He did not want to deal with him, so he stood up and walked over to the pedestal that usually held the book.

"What are you doing?" Wyatt asked.

"Trying to find a way to vanquish the Source." Chris replied as he dropped the Book of Shadows on its pedestal.

"It is the middle of the night." Wyatt replied. "You've been at this for three days straight and haven't found anything. Have you even been to work?"

"I called in sick." Chris replied impatiently. "What do you want?"

"I would like you to talk me to me." Wyatt said. "We barely said more than three words since Barbas happened."

"We don't have that much to discuss." Chris replied shrugging as he tried to leave the attic.

"Are you kidding me?" Wyatt remarked as he grabbed Chris by the shoulder as he tried to walk past him. "We have plenty to discuss. You need to get over this."

"Or what, you'll try to kill me again?" Chris snapped at him.

"You really don't understand, do you?" Wyatt said angrily. "I struggled with the fear of becoming evil half my life. It already nearly destroyed me once."

"No, you really do not understand." Chris replied. "I don't care about the fact you might turn evil, or have turned evil or whatever. I care that you did not trust me enough to tell me. You, our aunts and even mom and dad."

Before Wyatt could respond, Chris pulled himself loose and stormed out of the attic. When he reached his bedroom, he slammed the door shut. He did not have the time or the patience to deal with his brother right now. He needed a way to vanquish the Source and nothing seemed to work. He had tried dozens of potions and spells already, though without the Power of Three or something equally powerful, it seemed impossible. Frustrated, Chris kicked against a chair and it flipped over. Suddenly, black smoke rose from the floor and surrounded him. Chris tried to struggle and get away, though the smoke quickly surrounded him and teleported him away.

When the smoke cleared, Chris found himself standing in the middle of the Underworld, in a cavern lit by purple torches. There was a basin in the middle with a silvery liquid in it. Behind the basin stood a beautiful young woman in a revealing black dress. She had long and curly brown hair and olive skin, with a purple flower-like amulet around her neck, which accentuated her plunging neckline. She was quite attractive, but Chris sensed she was dangerous as well.

"Who are you?" Chris asked defensively.

"I go by many names." The woman replied. "Though most only know me by my title."

"Let me guess." Chris replied as he looked at the silvery basin. "You're a Seer."

"The Seer." The Seer corrected him. "Since all the other ones have been vanquished."

"Why did you summon me here?" Chris asked.

"We have mutual interests." The Seer replied as she let her hand slide across the basin. "A common goal to achieve. Only you find yourself stuck without answers."

"You want to vanquish the Source?" Chris asked skeptically. "You're a demon. Why should I trust a word you say?"

"You're quite judgmental, you know." The Seer remarked. "You condemn me just for being a demon, just like you condemned your brother for keeping something from you."

"We're not discussing my family." Chris said annoyed.

"That is exactly what we're discussing." The Seer said with a faint smile. "You seek a way to vanquish the Source, do you not?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Chris asked confused.

"All in good time." The Seer replied cryptically. "For now, let us focus on our goals. You asked me if I wanted to vanquish the Source. The answer is yes."

"Why?" Chris asked.

"We worked together for years, decades even." The Seer replied. "He came to me for help after dragging himself out of the wasteland. However, recently I have failed him and now he wants me dead. I have no interest in dying."

"So why come to me?" Chris asked with a frown.

"Because we seek the same thing, yet we both have something the other does not." The Seer said. "I know how to vanquish the Source, but I lack the power. You and your family have the power, yet you do not know how to use it against him."

"So what do you propose exactly?" Chris asked.

"It is quite simple." The Seer said. "I tell you what you need to know, you vanquish the Source. No strings attached. After this is done, we go our separate ways."

"I don't know if I can trust you." Chris said hesitantly.

"I know you want to vanquish him more than anything." The Seer said. "You blame him for what happened, don't you? It is through the power of the Source that Barbas was able to manipulate your family, causing all that pain. All I am offering is information. What you do with it, is up to you."

Chris carefully considered his opinions. He did want the Source destroyed, and there was no harm in accepting some information, right? "Alright, tell me." Chris said eventually.

"In order to vanquish the Source, you will need to tap into the power of your entire line of witches." The Seer said. "Though without the Power of Three, that will not be enough. You need something else, the power of nature itself. You will need to bring back the Nexus under your manor and vanquish the Source upon it."

"That is impossible, the Nexus was destroyed." Chris called out.

"Not destroyed, banished." The Seer corrected him again. "Which means it can be returned. A Nexus is nothing more than a spiritual point where the elements align."

"Even so, I still don't know how." Chris said. "How do we bring it back?"

"For that, you will need to ask those who wrote the banishing spell in the first place." The Seer simply replied. "Now It is time for you to leave. I have given you what you needed, so I expect you to hold up your end of the deal."

The Seer waved her hand and black smoke rose from the floor, surrounding Chris. Before Chris could respond or ask anything more, he found himself back in his bedroom alone. He still was not sure if he could fully trust the Seer, but at least he had a new lead to chase. It was the Elders who wrote the banishing spell in the Book of Shadows long ago, so they held the answer. However, Chris realized he was not able to enter the Heavens since rejecting his destiny. He needed a Whitelighter, and luckily he knew exactly where to get one.

Xxx

The following morning, Prue Halliwell arrived back in her parents' apartment in a flash of pink light, instantly followed by white wisps that formed into Matt. It had been three days since they had agreed to spend a week together and they had been all over the city. They had seen museums, taken walks down the beach and even went to the amusement park. They almost felt like actual dates, though each time Prue was painfully reminded of the fact that Matt was a ghost. She knew she had agreed to let him experience real life one last week, though she started to think that letting go after this week would only be harder for the both of them.

"That was amazing." Matt said with a smile. "That was the most fun I had since ever."

"At least you did not look like an idiot going on all those rides on your own, all the while talking to yourself. Those people thought I was insane." Prue replied.

As Prue went to the kitchen to get something to drink, Payton entered the apartment with a school bag over her shoulder, having just come back from the library. She sighed and dropped down on the couch.

"You do realize it is a Sunday, right?" Prue asked.

"Yeah, well too bad teachers don't seem to realize weekends are meant to be free time." Payton replied. "I will be stuck writing this stupid essay all day."

"Can't you just use magic?" Matt asked.

"Of course not, personal gain, remember?" Payton replied. "If I use magic to write the essay, I am afraid it will catch fire the moment I hand it in."

"Oh right. I forgot. I wasn't a witch for that long." Matt replied.

"So how are your dat... I mean, outings going?" Payton asked. She looked at Prue, who glared at her for her 'accidental' slip of the tongue.

"Amazing." Matt replied unaware. "Your sister is great."

"I bet she is." Payton replied with a sneaky smile at her sister.

"Didn't you need to write your essay?" Prue asked annoyed.

"Right." Payton replied as she rolled her eyes.

As Payton grabbed her bag and stood up, a column of orbs appeared in the middle of the room and took the shape of Noah, their new Whitelighter the sisters had met a few weeks ago. He was a handsome and tall guy with a cute British accent, though he could be quite annoying and none of the sisters really trusted him yet. They all suspected he was keeping some sort of secret.

"Hey. Am I interrupting something?" Noah asked surprised as he suddenly noticed Matt.

"What did we tell you about orbing in unexpected?" Prue called out annoyed. "What if Matt had been a mortal?"

"Look, I am sorry, but I did not sense anyone else was here." Noah quickly replied. "Which is really weird if I might add. How is that possible?"

"Matt is a ghost." Prue replied with a sigh. "We have been spending time together before he is ready to move on."

"Oh." Noah replied with a frown, clearly suppressing his opinion.

"Maybe it's better if I go." Matt said uncomfortable. "I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Prue replied with a smile.

Matt smiled back at her and disappeared in white wisps. Prue looked at Noah and saw there was clearly something bothering him. She wondered if he was jealous or something. She thought he was cute and all, but there was nothing going on between them. And for that matter, there was nothing going on with Matt either, at least that is what she told herself.

"Alright." Prue said annoyed. "Just spit it out."

"Okay." Noah replied. "Have you lost your mind? You clearly don't seem to realize what you're doing. Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?"

"What are you talking about?" Payton asked confused.

"You don't see how wrong this is?" Noah asked and turned back to Prue, who crossed her arms. "Matt is a ghost, he belongs in the afterlife, but he is actively refusing to move on because of whatever you two have going on."

"What is the harm in one week?" Prue asked defensively.

"One week is fine, I guess." Noah replied. "But what if he falls in love with you? What if he refuses to move on because of you? He could be trapped on earth of eternity. Do you know what could happen then? He will grow increasingly frustrated at his fate until his soul darkens. That is how evil spirits are created, Prue."

Prue did not know how to respond and felt uncomfortable. She was not sure if Noah was just saying these things or if he was right. She could not deny she had some of the same concerns. Was she putting Matt in danger, and herself in the process? She needed time to think.

Suddenly, another column of orbs appeared in the room, revealing her cousin Chris. As he appeared, he instantly turned his attention to Noah. "I need your help." Chris demanded.

xxx


	2. Chapter 2

Legacy 104: Halliwell Family Values

Part 2

Xxx

A little while after her plane landed, Phoebe exited the terminal. She knew she could have just as easily had someone beam or orb her, but she could not explain herself. She did not even know how to bring up her concerns. She knew she had to handle this on her own and find out the truth. Luckily, Coop had charges in Rome to look after, so he did not even notice she had left. She also did not want to intrude on her daughters until she was absolutely sure. She did not even feel comfortable to include Paige in what she was going through. However, she would need the Book of Shadows.

xxx

Noah headed into the bedroom and closed the door after Chris followed him in. Noah was a little concerned, as Chris seemed tired and frankly a little stressed. He had insisted on speaking to him privately, so the sisters would not overhear them. Noah wondered what it could be about, though he knew Chris had been obsessing over the Source.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Noah asked.

"I have been trying to find a way to vanquish the Source." Chris replied. "He has come after my family too many times."

"I know." Noah said. "Did you find something?"

"I think so." Chris said somewhat hesitant.

"Really?" Noah asked both curiously and excited. "How?"

"In order to vanquish the Source, we need to summon back the Nexus." Chris stated, as if it were a matter of fact.

"But the Nexus was banished decades ago, when the Charmed Ones vanquished Zankou." Noah replied.

"I know that." Chris said. "I also know the Elders wrote the spell they cast to do it, meaning they have to know a way to reverse it."

"Where did you get this information?" Noah asked with a frown.

"That is not important." Chris replied after a short moment of hesitation. "All I know is that it is our best shot. But as much as I hate it, we need the Elders."

"I am not sure if they can help." Noah said.

"They have to." Chris said. "They owe my family."

Noah remained silent for a moment. He was somewhat bothered by Chris' attitude toward the Elders. He agreed that the Elders had not always made the right decisions, but for Chris it seemed to be a sport to hate them. However, this was exactly what the Elders wanted to resolve. It was the reason he was assigned to guide the sisters. The Elders wanted to restore the relationship between them and the Halliwells. If this were true, it could be the perfect way to achieve that.

"I'll see what I can do." Noah said.

"Thank you." Chris said with a sigh.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Noah asked concerned, noticing his tired look. "I heard about what happened with Barbas."

"You're not my Whitelighter, Noah." Chris remarked annoyed.

"I know, that doesn't mean I can't help." Noah replied. "All that has happened is clearly bothering you, and I think it might be affecting your judgment. You seem agitated and I don't think it is smart to make any rash decisions."

"I know I cannot do this alone, Noah." Chris replied. "If the Elders can provide the spell we need, I will talk to my family first. We'll need to work together."

"Are you sure you can do that?" Noah asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't worry about me." Chris replied.

Chris nodded and disappeared from the bedroom in a column of orbs. Noah sighed, he had a bad feeling about all of this. However, if this spell could really be used to vanquish the Source, he needed to talk to the Elders immediately. Vanquishing the Source would end the immediate threat and it could bring the Halliwells closer to the Elders. It was worth a shot. Without saying goodbye to the sisters, Noah departed for the Heavens.

Xxx

Sitting behind her laptop, Payton tried to focus on the essay she needed to write. She was a little distracted by Noah and Chris heading into the other room, though she was even more distracted by Prue pacing across the room. Payton knew she was conflicted about Matt, and Noah had not helped matters. He was overreacting, Matt was a really sweet guy, and there was no way he would ever turn into an evil spirit. Payton realized that was only part of the problem though, as Prue really liked Matt. It sucked that they only got to spend a week together, and that they could not even touch.

Suddenly Payton got an idea, a way she could help her sister figure things out. "I am going to work in my room." She said as she leaped up and quickly gathered her stuff.

"Alright." Prue replied.

"Don't worry about what Noah said, he was just being an overprotective Whitelighter." Payton said. "And maybe even a little jealous."

"I know, you're right." Prue replied, though there was some doubt in her voice.

"I am sure things will work out fine." Payton promised, barely able to hide a smile because of what she was planning.

With her laptop under her arm and bag over her shoulder, Payton hurried into her bedroom. Once there, she tossed her stuff on the bed and grabbed a notepad. Prue and Matt needed to figure out their feelings before he could move on, and they could use a little magical help in that department. She knew it could be considered personal gain, but sometimes a little magic was needed. Even though she was not that creative, Payton quickly came up with the perfect spell. When it was finished, she stood up and whispered Matt's name, hoping he could sense her calling him. Luckily, a moment later, Matt appeared in white wisps.

"Payton?" Matt asked confused. "What is going on? Why were you calling me?"

"I think I found a way to help you and Prue." Payton said happily as she stood up.

"What do you mean?" Matt asked.

"Look, you only have a week, that was the deal, but the way things are going now, the two of you can never figure out what you're feeling." Payton said.

"Payton, I think you're a little young to understand what…" Matt started, though Payton raised her hand.

"Please, I might not have never experienced what you two have, but I know what I see." Payton interrupted him. "Besides, I am part Cupid, you know."

"Okay, fine. So what is your big plan?" Matt asked with a sigh.

"Allow me to demonstrate." Payton said as he held out her notepad and started chanting the spell she had scribbled down.

"_A few hours to cheat death,_

_Grant this ghost a final breath._

_From this time to break of dawn,_

_Give him flesh before moving on."_

When the spell was cast, there was a flash of light and suddenly Matt was bathed in a bright white glow. When the glow disappeared, Matt suddenly looked at his body and felt he was solid. Still a little dazed, he picked up a stuffed bear lying on the bed. A smile appeared when he could touch it and he turned to Payton. When Payton took a step forward, she suddenly felt a weird sensation and heard a thump on the floor. As she looked at Matt, she noticed his eyes widened in shock and his mouth fell open. She looked down and saw her own body lying on the floor. She realized something had gone wrong. She was dead.

Suddenly, the bedroom door flew open and Prue charged in. She first looked at Matt with a confused look and then turned to Payton. She screamed when she saw the body lying on the floor. Even though her body seemed to be peacefully asleep, Prue could see her spirit and instantly figured out that she had screwed up.

"What the hell did you do?" Prue asked upset as she turned to the spirit of her younger sister.

Xxx

A few moments later, Prue stormed out of the bedroom with Payton and Matt right behind her. She could not belief how stupid her little sister had been, not to mention reckless. Casting a spell to give Matt solid form, how could she not think about the personal gain consequences of something like that? She wished she could kick her or something, though that was impossible since she was a freaking ghost. She started pacing around the room again and called Noah and Chris, though there was no response from either of them, meaning they had probably left after their mysterious chat. God, how she longed for a normal family sometimes.

"Prue, it is just a temporary spell." Payton said in an attempt to comfort her. "Matt will turn back at dawn, so that means I will turn back as well. It is not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?!" Prue called out as she flung her arms. "You're a ghost. How is that not a big deal?"

"Hey, I only wanted to help you." Payton replied.

"This is all my fault." Matt said. "Just reverse the spell."

"No, it is not your fault." Payton said. "I made this decision on my own. I just wanted to give you time together."

"I'll call Penny, maybe she cast figure out a spell to fix this." Prue said.

"No, wait!" Payton said and suddenly she disappeared in wisps and reappeared in front of Prue. "Trust me, I am fine. The spell lasts until dawn, after that, things will return to normal."

"Are you sure?" Prue asked doubtfully.

"Yes." Payton whispered so Matt could not overhear them. "I know how you feel about him. Just take this time to figure things out."

"Payton, I am not even sure if that is what I want." Prue replied softly. "What if it turns out I really like him? He still has to move on."

"If you don't do this, you might be stuck wondered what if." Payton said. "You might get hurt, but isn't taking that risk better than not even trying?"

Prue hesitated and looked over her shoulder at Matt, who was leaning against the couch while still testing out his solid form. He looked back at her and smiled a little uncomfortably. Prue wondered if her little sister was right. She knew things with Matt could never work, but that did not stop her from liking him. Perhaps spending a day with him was better than never knowing for sure.

"Okay." Prue said after taking a deep breath.

She walked over to Matt, who quickly stood up. He acted a bit clumsy, as he was probably still getting used to having a real body again. When Prue came closer, she carefully raised a hand and placed it on his arm. He felt warm and she could not believe she could actually touch him now.

"Are you sure about this?" Matt asked. "I can understand if it's too weird for you."

"No, it is fine." Prue replied with a faint smile.

Behind them, Payton smiled contently and disappeared in white wisps, giving them some privacy.

"So I was thinking, it has probably been a long time since you actually ate." Prue said. "How about a picnic in the park?"

"Sounds perfect." Matt replied as he took her hand, which was still lingering on his arm. They smiled and headed out to enjoy the little time they had.

Xxx

In the bright and cloudy Heavens, Noah walked past white pillars on his way to the council chambers. He was dressed in a white robe, as all Whitelighters were required to wear while in the Heavens, though he had always hated them. When he entered the chambers, he saw the Elders sitting on high chairs in a half circle. Although their faces were cloaked by the hood of their robes, Noah recognized each and every one of them. After all, he used to be one of them. Noah took a deep bow and patiently waited. The Elder in the middle of the circle took off his hood, revealing his face.

"What news do you bring?" Odin asked.

"Chris believes he has found a way to vanquish the Source." Noah stated. "Though he requires your knowledge for this plan to work."

"Tell us about this plan first." Odin demanded impatiently.

"Chris believes that if the cousins can bring back the Nexus underneath the manor, he and his cousins can draw enough power from it and their ancestors to vanquish the Source." Noah explained.

Several of the Elders started debating among themselves. Noah patiently waited until Odin called the rest to order. Clearly, he did not share his patience, which was not a secret. Although Noah could not stand Odin, he had to admit that he was a man of order and regulation.

"Where did he came up with this plan?" Odin asked.

"I don't know, he would not tell me." Noah replied. "But does it really matter? The cousins need the help of the Elders. This is the perfect way to restore what has been broken. If you help them, they might regain their faith in the council."

"You're out of line." Odin snapped at him. "Or do I need to remind you of your place?"

"Enough Odin." A gentle female voice spoke. Sandra rose from her seat and removed her hood. "Noah is right. If Chris believes this is the way to eliminate the threat of the Source, it is something that we must support him in."

Several Elders nodded and announced their support for the plan, while some remained quiet, including Odin, who seemed rather annoyed. Although Odin wanted the best for the greater good, he seemed to have difficulty putting his personal feelings toward against the Halliwells aside, as well as his vendetta against Noah.

"Say it were even possible to bring back the nexus, it would still pose a risk." Odin eventually said. "The nexus has always been neutral, if this so-called plan fails, the Source could gain access to the nexus himself, making him near unstoppable."

"But what other plan do we have?" Noah asked. "You all claim you want the Halliwells to the trust the council again, so how about a little trust in them first?"

"Agreed." Sandra said. "We need to have faith."

"And what if they discover the truth about the Source's new body before they get the chance to vanquish him?" Odin asked. "Do you all still trust them to do what needs to be done?"

"They clearly recognize the Source as a great threat." Sandra said. "He has already made several attempts to disrupt and destroy their family. They will put their own safety and the greater good above all else."

Several Elders once again nodded and agreed. This time a majority seemed to put their faith in the cousins, while only a small faction agreed with Odin instead. Luckily, the Elders were democratic, and Odin seemed to realize and accept his defeat.

"Let us hope your faith is not misplaced." Odin remarked cynically. "I believe the spell required is somewhere in the ancient scrolls. We will call upon you when we find what you need. Inform the cousins they will need to be ready, as they will have only one shot at this."

"Thank you." Noah replied as he once again took a deep bow.

Noah turned and left the council chambers. Even though he was sometimes annoyed at the way the council operated, he was glad that something good had come out of this. If things worked out, the Source would be vanquished and the relationship between the Halliwells and the Elders could be healed. That way, he could stop hiding things from the sisters, since he hated having to lie to them. However, there were some things in his past that were not easy to share.

Xxx

In a dark cavern in the Underworld that was one known as the coronation room, the Source of All Evil stood in the middle of the room. His young and powerful body was covered in a simple black robe and his brown eyes were focused on several scorch marks on the floor. There were many memories tied to this place, dark and sad, but he could not afford to think like that. He was the Source of All Evil, the essence of true evil, not some weak boy with human emotions. The Source closed his eyes and quickly pushed any emotion away, banishing them to a dark place.

Behind the Source, an elderly demon in a blood red cloak entered. He was a dark priest, and in his arms he held a heavy book bound in leather, the pages of which were blackened with evil. The Grimoire. He placed the book on a black pedestal.

"Is everything set?" The Source asked as he turned around.

"Almost, my lord." The priest replied. "Soon the preparations for the coronation will begin. Finally you will be able to truly reclaim your legacy. All the demons in the Underworld will know once and for all that the Source has returned and they will bow down to you."

"Good, it cannot happen soon enough." The Source replied.

"If I may, my lord." The priest said carefully. "I sense that you are troubled. As your loyal advisor, I am sworn to secrecy and will take anything you tell me with me to the wasteland."

"What are you talking about?" The Source asked annoyed.

"My lord. I know that you keep many secrets, though not all are secret to me." The priest said. "I know the truth about your return and I sense that it is taking a toll on you."

"You know nothing!" The Source called out angrily and his eyes were engulfed in flames. "If you speak to anyone about this, you will never make it to the wasteland, your fate will be much worse."

"My apologies, my lord." The priest quickly said with a slight bow. "You know I am loyal only to you."

"Leave me." The Source said as turned his back to the priest.

The Source took a few steps forward and let his eyes fall on the shattered metal cage in the corner of the room. Meanwhile, he heard the priest quickly leaving in a shuffle. That fool had better keep silent. If there was any doubt about his resolve, the demons who should bow to him, would betray him instead. He had come too far and it had taken too long to get here. Nothing could ruin his long-awaited return to power.

However, a pang of doubt shot through his body. His encounter with Barbas had cost him a small portion of his powers, though it had also shaken him more than he was willing to admit. He had long conquered this body and made it his own, as it was always intended, though something inside him still resisted at times. The coronation would put a stop to that permanently, the last remnants of his heir would be destroyed and he would be in full control.

xxx


	3. Chapter 3

Legacy 104: Halliwell Family Values

Part 3

Xxx

A little later in the afternoon, Wyatt Halliwell returned home to the manor with his camera equipment in a bag over his shoulder. He had been called in for a last-minute photo-shoot for the newspaper. He was a little out of focus and he just could not concentrate properly, though his boss seemed to be content with the photos despite that. His fight with Chris was really throwing him off balance. Of course they had fights while growing up, but this was different. Something shifted between them and Wyatt was not sure if it would ever be the same.

As Wyatt put away his equipment in the closet under the stairway, the front door of the manor opened. Wyatt turned and expected to see Henry or Chris, though he was surprised when his aunt Phoebe suddenly stood in the manor. Last he knew, she was still in New York.

"Aunt Phoebe." Wyatt said a little confused.

"Wyatt, hi." Phoebe said, she seemed surprised to see him. "Sorry, I still had my old key, I hope you don't mind."

"No of course not." Wyatt replied. "I am just surprised. What are you doing here? Where is uncle Coop?"

"He is dealing with some charges." Phoebe said. "I was just stopping by, the girls don't even know I am here yet."

"So why are you at the manor?" Wyatt asked.

"Honestly, I need to check the Book of Shadows for a moment." Phoebe said. "It is not a big deal or anything, nothing demonic, but I need it for some personal things."

"Anything I can help with?" Wyatt asked.

"No, I'll be fine." Phoebe said. "I will just hurry. The manor is yours now, so I should not even be intruding."

"Aunt Phoebe, you know you're always welcome here." Wyatt replied.

"Thanks, Wyatt." Phoebe said with a faint smile and placed a hand on his arm.

When she touched him, her face shifted. Suddenly, she seemed really emotional, almost in pain. For a moment, Wyatt was confused, then he realized she was sensing his own emotions through her empathy. Phoebe quickly withdrew her hand and looked at him with a saddened expression.

"Wyatt, what is going on here?" Phoebe asked concerned. "You're really upset."

"It is a long story." Wyatt replied.

"Well, tell me. I know I am not your mom, but you know you can always talk to me." Phoebe reminded him.

"I would not even know where to start." Wyatt said.

"Just try." Phoebe replied as she guided him toward the couch.

As they sat down, Wyatt started to explain what had happened in the last few weeks. How Barbas had manipulated both him and Chris and pitted them against each other. How his secret about his evil future self had come out and how things had played out after that. The fact that they were barely speaking. Naturally, Phoebe already knew about the dark future, so it made it easier to explain, though Wyatt still found it difficult to talk about.

"I just don't know what to do." Wyatt finally admitted.

"Honey, why didn't you call me or aunt Paige?" Phoebe asked. "You know we could have helped explain things. Back when you were a teenager, we all decided it was for the best not to tell the others. This was exactly what we were trying to avoid."

"We're all adults now, Phoebe." Wyatt said. "We can't keep calling our parents for help. Besides, you all have your own lives as well. I think keeping it a secret only made it worse."

"It doesn't matter how old you are, Wyatt." Phoebe said. "Sometimes you just need a parent, or aunt in this case. Everyone needs that."

For a moment, Wyatt thought he heard a pang of guilt in her voice, though she quickly corrected herself. She had never told him why she was here exactly, was there something going on that he did not know about? He wanted to ask about it, though Phoebe quickly moved on.

"I think you need to talk to Chris again." Phoebe said.

"I wouldn't know what to say." Wyatt replied with a sigh.

"Wyatt, you have to remember that Chris in your little brother." Phoebe said. "He has always been insecure when it comes to you. He always believed that he had to live in your shadow."

"That is ridiculous." Wyatt called out.

"Maybe, but that is how he experienced it." Phoebe said. "You were smart, popular, outgoing. He had a hard time living up to that. And because your parents often worried about you, perhaps they gave you more attention than Chris, unintentionally of course."

"What are you saying exactly?" Wyatt asked.

"I think that in Chris' eyes, you were always the perfect one, the golden boy." Phoebe said. "He tried to live up to that, only to discover that it was all a lie. You were not perfect, you never were."

"I never claimed to be perfect." Wyatt said a little annoyed.

"That doesn't matter." Phoebe said. "Because that is how Chris saw it. In his perception, you were. Now that image has been shattered and he doesn't know how to handle it."

Wyatt thought about what she said and let it sink in. Perhaps she was right. "So how do I fix it?" He eventually asked.

"Just talk to him, explain how you feel and let him express himself without judgment." Phoebe said. "Nobody is wrong or right here, that is what you need to remember. Only by letting everything out, can you find a way to get past this."

"Thanks, aunt Phoebe." Wyatt said. "It feels good to talk to someone who understands."

"You can make the others understand as well. They are your family." Phoebe said. "Just give it some time. We are always there for each other."

"I'll try." Wyatt replied.

"Just know you can always talk to me if you need to." Phoebe said.

"Thank you." Wyatt said.

Both of them stood up and Wyatt gave his aunt a hug. It felt good to be understood by a loved one and to be held. Of course he wished his mom could have been here instead, but his aunts were almost as important to him. They were almost like surrogate moms and he knew they would always be there, just like his mother would be.

"I need to go check the Book." Phoebe said as he let her go.

"Of course." Wyatt said. "You know where it is. Call me if you need anything."

"Thanks, sweetie." Phoebe replied.

As Phoebe headed up the stairs to the attic, Wyatt sat back down and grabbed his phone. He did not know where Chris was, but he decided it was time they needed to talk. He texted him to meet him at the manor as soon as he could. They had to get past this one way or another. After he sent the text, he leaned down on the couch and sighed. He hoped things would get better soon.

xxx

On top of the Golden Gate Bridge, Chris Halliwell stood overlooking the bay and the cars way down below. He liked this place, as it allowed him to clear his head, though with everything that was going on, even this place did not help him calm down. When he felt his phone buzzing, he checked and saw it was a message from Wyatt, telling him they needed to talk. Chris sighed as he put his phone away, he had more important things to worry about now. He hoped Noah would hurry.

In a column of bright blue orbs, Noah appeared beside him dressed in a white robe. It looked pretty ridiculous and he seemed quite uncomfortable in it.

"What is the news?" Chris asked immediately.

"Well, hello to you too." Noah remarked. "I consulted with the Elders and they agreed this was the best opportunity to vanquish the Source. They are searching for the required spell as we speak."

"You managed to convince them?" Chris asked unconvinced.

"Chris, I know how you feel about the Elders." Noah said as he turned to him. "And yes, the Elders have made some mistakes in the past, but don't you think it is time to let it pass? In the end, we all want the same thing. We all serve the greater good."

"We have different views of the greater good." Chris remarked.

"Your personal vendetta against the Elders is not helping anyone, Chris." Noah replied with a sigh. "You made it clear you did not want to be a Whitelighter, but you will always be tied to them. We need each other."

"Why does everyone keep telling me how I should think and how I should feel?" Chris remarked annoyed.

"Maybe it's because you let your personal feelings cloud your judgment." Noah replied. "I know a lot has happened."

"I already told you, you're not my Whitelighter." Chris snapped at him.

"Alright, I am only trying to help." Noah said as he raised his hands defensively. "But you should take the time to think about what you're doing. If you keep this up, you will push away everyone who cares about you."

Before Chris could reply, Noah dissolved into millions of tiny blue orbs and disappeared, leaving him alone on the bridge once more. Chris stared down as the word echoed in his mind. Was he really becoming like that? Were his obsessions and insecurities taking over his life? He turned down part of his destiny because he hated the Elders, now he was busy alienating his brother. He needed to think about what he wanted and what he needed, but he could not think about any of that as long as the Source of All Evil was still threatening his family.

Xxx

Across town, twenty-year old Penny Halliwell was strolling across the pier while drinking an iced coffee. Dressed in jeans and a black tank top, she was enjoyed a nice Sunday with her younger cousin Henry. Normally, the two never spent much time together, but both were bored and they usually got along pretty well. There was a fair on the pier, so it was actually quite busy. Penny leaned against the railing overlooking the sea. A few moments later, Henry emerged from the crowd, dressed in a blue shirt and baggy shorts, holding two hotdogs and a bottle of water.

"Here." Henry said as he handed one of them to Penny.

"Thanks." Penny said. "We should do this more often."

"I know." Henry remarked. "I could not wait to get out of the manor with all that is going on."

"Are they still not talking?" Penny asked.

"Nope." Henry replied.

Penny sighed. She knew better than anyone what was going on between Wyatt and Chris. She had seen it first hand when she entered their minds. When she had read Wyatt's mind, she had seen it all flash for her eyes. She understood why Wyatt wanted to keep his future self a secret, but now that the secret was out, it all seemed to be worse than it had to be. Penny did not blame or fear Wyatt, after all, that future was prevented and he was too much of a goody-two-shoes to cross over to the dark side. However, she could also understand Chris' reaction. She knew what it was like to live up to a perfect older sibling as well as he did.

"How can we fix this?" Henry asked.

"We can't." Penny replied. "They have to fix it themselves."

"Well, they had better fix it soon." Henry. "I am walking on eggshells over there. If this keeps up, I might move to LA after all."

"No, you wouldn't." Penny remarked.

"You're probably right, I like it here too much." Henry replied. "Got room in your dorm though?"

"No way." Penny replied instantly.

"Worth a shot." Henry said with a shrug. "I'll be going there is a few years anyway."

"Can't you aim a little higher than community college?" Penny asked.

"Have you met me?" Henry asked with a frown. "I hate hard work, I barely study and I am a C-student at best. Besides, colleges are for parties, not learning."

"You know, sometimes I think you're my little brother instead of my cousin." Penny remarked.

"Yeah, how did we end up in this family?" Henry replied jokingly.

"We must be adopted." Penny said laughing.

As they continued down the pier, Henry took a sip from his bottle of water, though he spit it out when suddenly white wisps appeared before them, and started coughing. Penny was shocked when Payton appeared out of nowhere and gasped. Several people around them looked at them with a frown. Obviously, they did not see Payton and a little kid even ran right through her.

"That felt really awkward." Payton remarked as she looked at the kid.

"Payton, what the hell?!" Penny called out, causing even more people to stare at them. "Are you dead?!"

"I know this looks bad, but I can explain." Payton quickly said.

As they were attracting quite a crowd, the three witches decided to move a little further down the pier where they had some more privacy. Once they were alone, Payton quickly filled them in on what had happened.

"How can you be so stupid!?" Penny remarked. "Payton, you're supposed to be one of the smart ones of the family."

"And also, who the hell is Matt?" Henry added confused.

"He is the ghost Prue has been helping, or seeing." Payton replied. "And yeah, I made one little mistake, but I did it for good reasons."

"After all the times you lectured me on personal gain." Henry remarked annoyed.

"Okay, I get it." Payton replied with a sigh. "Prue already yelled at me. Can we move on?"

"What is it like to be a ghost?" Henry asked curiously.

"It feels really weird." Payton replied. "I feel a bit lightheaded, but is fun being invisible and being able to teleport anywhere I like. All I have to do is think about it."

"Just don't get yourself in anymore trouble. This can be dangerous." Penny said, much to her own surprise, and she noticed the others frowning. "Wow, since when am I the responsible one?"

"Guess hell must be freezing over." Henry remarked dryly.

Penny glared at him, even though she thought the same thing. Suddenly, she heard her phone and grabbed it from her pocket. She saw it was a text from Chris, asking everyone to meet him at the manor in about an hour or so. She wondered what it was all about and hoped he and Wyatt did not have another fight or something. Meanwhile, Henry got his phone and apparently got the same message.

"What is going on?" Payton asked.

"More family drama, I guess." Penny remarked. "Let's go find out."

As they put their phones away, Penny and Henry agreed to meet Payton back at the manor. Her younger sister then disappeared in white wisps and they started to leave the pier.

Xxx

Phoebe Halliwell entered the attic and closed the door behind her. She then made her way to the Book of Shadows and flipped it open. Her dreams were troubling her still and she needed answers. She needed to know if her fears were true. Suddenly, the book started flipping the pages by itself, or rather, someone was helping her from up there. She wondered who it could be, one of her sisters, her mother or grams. It did not really matter. After deciding to keep her fears a secret from the living, she was glad to get some support from the afterlife.

When the book stopped, Phoebe placed her hand on the page and noticed it was the spell she had once used to astral project herself to Cole when he trapped in the wasteland. That could not be a coincidence, it had to be meant to be. Without another thought, she cast it.

"_Whither my love,_

_Wherever you be_

_Through time and space_

_Take my heart nearer to thee."_

As she cast the spell, Phoebe became surrounded large white orbs and she found herself being teleported away. When she reappeared, she found herself standing in a disturbingly familiar room, the coronation room of the Underworld. She was confused, as the last time she had cast the spell, she had astral projected, now she had been teleported.

Suddenly, an invisible force threw her across the room and she rolled over the floor. When Phoebe looked up, she saw the Source walking up to her. His face looked so familiar to her that it sent chills down her spine once again. He looked like a person she had loved a long time ago, though his face was consumed with anger and his eyes were black as night.

"You got some nerve coming here, witch." The Source said as he raised his hand and created a fire ball with swirling metallic rings.

"You knew I was coming." Phoebe said as she stood up.

"I did, I sensed it when you appeared in my mind." The Source replied. "You should be careful of what you dream, because sometimes the dream looks back."

"I am not afraid of you." Phoebe said.

"You should be." The Source replied.

Suddenly, the Source threw the fire ball, but Phoebe did not flinch. She held out her hand and caught the fire ball by tapping into the emotions of the Source. It hurt and she nearly cried out. She felt an overwhelming evil pressing down on her, though she felt something else underneath. Anger, confusion and even sadness. She suppressed her tears. She needed to be strong.

Phoebe clenched her fist and threw the fire ball back at the Source. The swirling rings exploded against his chest and he was thrown back. However, he instantly rose to his feet and held out his hand. Phoebe felt a crushing force on her throat, though she tapped into his powers again and freed herself. She then pushed and forced him to stumble back a little.

"I don't want to fight!" Phoebe called out.

"Then what do you want?!" The Source screamed angrily.

"Just tell me the truth!" Phoebe yelled at him. "Who are you?!"

"I think you already know." The Source replied more calmly and his eyes turned to their regular brown. "Just say it."

Phoebe felt herself clamping up. This was the reason she was here, but she was scared to know the truth as well. However, she knew she could not rest until she knew for sure. She cleared her throat and suppressed all emotion.

"You're my son." Phoebe stated. "Mine and Cole's."

"Hi, mom." The Source replied with a grin.

The Source raised his arm and Phoebe was thrown back against the wall. She hit her head and fell down on the ground. As she faded in and out of consciousness, the Source hovered over her. The last thing she saw before blacking out was the face of her long lost son.

xxx


	4. Chapter 4

Legacy 104: Halliwell Family Values

Part 4

Xxx

When Phoebe Halliwell woke up, she found herself lying on a cold rock surrounded by darkness. She turned her head saw a torch next to her, which spread a faded light across the cavern. She tapped into her empathic powers and tried to sense if there was someone around by searching for emotions. However, she felt nothing. As she tried to move and get up, she groaned in pain. Suddenly, she heard something and she looked into the darkness. The Source emerged from the shadows.

Phoebe could not believe she was looking at the face of her son, the child she believed vanquished so long ago. At the time, she had convinced herself that it had never been hers, that it was pure evil just like the Source, now she was started to doubt herself.

"Don't bother using your powers." The Source said. "In this cavern, your magic will not work."

"Why keep me prisoner, why not kill me?" Phoebe asked as she sat up.

"I may have some use for you." The Source replied.

"I don't believe you." Phoebe said. "The true Source would not have hesitated for a moment."

"So what do you believe?" The Source asked. "That somehow, deep inside, your son is still here? Don't fool yourself, witch."

"So who or what are you exactly?" Phoebe asked.

"I am the Source." The Source proclaimed. "The true essence of evil. Each time you have vanquished me, that essence has survived and moved on to a new host."

"A host?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes, when the essence is expelled from one body, it moves into another." The Source said. "There is will grow until it can merge with the host and take control."

"What you mean with merge?" Phoebe asked concerned.

"It means that every time I enter a new body, I am the same essence, but not the same person." The Source explained. "My essence merges with the host and the two become one, two personalities merge as one, though in the end, the essence is always in control."

Phoebe gasped at the realization of what that meant and tears welled up in her eyes. "Cole." She whispered as she remembered her first true love.

"You realize now, don't you?" The Source stated with an evil smirk. "All these years you blamed Cole for becoming the Source, yet deep down he never had a choice. He was consumed by the essence, he became me."

"But he loved me." Phoebe said as she looked at him defiantly.

"Yes, when I merged with his personality, that was the only thing I could not erase." The Source replied in an annoyed tone. "So I adapted, I used the love you shared to conceive a powerful heir, a perfect vessel in case my physical form was vanquished again."

"But I saw what happened. I was there." Phoebe said confused. "After the Seer stole my child, the power overwhelmed her and vanquished them both. There is no way the child could have survived."

"But he did, as you can see with your own eyes." The Source claimed as he raised his hands. "The child you discarded so carelessly survived."

"How?" Phoebe asked distraught.

"I think I have entertained you long enough." The Source stated and turned around.

"No, you owe me an answer!" Phoebe called out as she leaped up. "You knew I was coming, you kept me alive for some reason, so tell me."

"I owe you nothing!" The Source called out furiously as he raised his hand and telekinetically grabbed Phoebe by the throat.

Phoebe coughed as she was lifted up into the air and nearly suffocated. Suddenly, the Source released her and she fell on the floor, gasping for air. She looked up at him and saw him staring down at her furiously. She did not understand, his anger seemed to reach further than she had anticipated, as if there was a deep anger and pain there all aimed at her. She wondered if it was truly the Source in there, or if he was not as in control as he claimed to be.

"Is my son still alive?" Phoebe eventually asked.

"It doesn't matter, not for long." The Source said. "I have a crowning ceremony to prepare for. You will make a fine sacrifice as a symbol of my power. In the meanwhile, I will show the answers you so desperately crave. See the truth you have denied for decades."

The Source waved his hand and Phoebe fell over into a magical slumber. She was telekinetically lifted from the ground and placed back on the rocky table she had woken up on. The Source walked over to her and placed two hands on each side of her temples. A red burning light emerged from his hands.

"Witness the past as you so desire." The Source stated. When the light faded, the Source stepped away and retreated into the shadows while Phoebe was trapped inside the visions in her mind.

Xxx

Prue Halliwell smiled contently as she watched Matt take a bite of the sandwiches they had brought. He looked back at her and covered his mouth as he smiled. It seemed perfect. It was beautiful day and they were in the park, lying on a blanket on the grass. Anyone who would pass them, would think they were an average couple enjoying the beautiful day with a romantic picnic. However, they were not normal, and they were not a couple. As much as she wanted it, she needed to remind herself that it could never be. Her smile faded as she lied down on her back and looked at the sky.

"What is bothering you?" Matt asked as he lied down next to her.

"Nothing, and everything." Prue replied. "All of this seems so perfect, but we're just fooling ourselves."

"Do you think it was a mistake?" Matt asked.

"No." Prue replied as she looked at him and wrapped her hand around his. "I am glad that we get to have a day like this. It is just hard thinking about how it will end."

"I know what you mean." Matt replied as he looked back up at the clouds passing. "Even though I am dead, you make me feel like I am living for the first time."

"What about Caroline?" Prue asked.

"Perhaps we could have had something great, but we never got the chance." Matt replied. "But if it were not for her, I never would have met you."

"And what makes me so special?" Prue asked with a smile.

"Oh, I don't know." Matt replied casually. "Perhaps the fact that you're beautiful, smart and caring. You saw me when nobody else could, and you helped me in more ways than you know."

"Well, keep going." Prue said as she nudged him.

'I'd rather do something else." Matt replied as he rolled on his side and looked at her.

"So what is stopping you?" Prue whispered.

Matt smiled and leaned in to kiss her. As his lips touched hers, Prue let go of her concerns and let herself be swept away in the moment. With their lips locked and their tongues intertwined, Prue moved slightly to the left and Matt moved until he was almost lying on her, while supporting himself with one hand in the grass. Prue wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, while Matt let his other hand move over her stomach up to her chest. Prue smirked and let her own hands slide down his back and started lifting up his shirt.

Suddenly, Prue's phone started ringing and she groaned annoyed. Matt stopped and let himself roll off her in the grass. She wished she had put the damn thing on mute, as it was a perfect way to ruin the moment. She rolled on her stomach and grabbed the phone from her purse.

"Who is it?" Matt asked.

"My sister, Penny." Prue replied. "And I got several messages from Chris. Apparently, there is something going on. They want me at the manor."

"One of those family emergencies you told me about?" Matt asked.

"Probably." Prue replied. "I am sure they can handle it."

"No, you should go check on them." Matt said as he dragged himself up to his knees. "What is something is really wrong?"

"What about you? And us?" Prue asked.

"We still got tonight." Matt replied. "What if you go to your family and I will make us a romantic dinner back at your apartment? You will meet me when you can."

"Dinner, huh?" Prue remarked with a smile. "You really do crave food, don't you?"

"Hey, as long as I have solid form, I might as well enjoy it." Matt replied.

"Alright, I'll try to hurry." Prue said she grabbed her purse and searched for her keys. "Take my keys and I will call you as soon as I can."

"Don't keep me waiting too long." Matt replied. "Otherwise I might turn into a pumpkin."

Prue smiled and gave him a kiss goodbye. She then quickly grabbed her stuff. As she started headed out of the park, the moment of bliss she had been feeling started to fade and her old concerns returned. She headed through a couple of trees and when she felt sure nobody could see her, she disappeared in a beam of pink light.

xxx

Later in the afternoon, Chris Halliwell arrived back in the manor in a column of orbs. Because he felt tired, he headed to the kitchen to make himself some coffee. However, when he arrived in the kitchen, he saw Wyatt had beaten him to the punch. His older brother was just pouring in a cup and held out the pot when he noticed Chris.

"Hey, do you want some?" Wyatt asked.

"Yeah, thanks." Chris said as he sat down at the counter.

"No problem." Wyatt replied as he handed him another cup. "So I saw you texted the others to meet us here. Something going on?"

"I found a way to vanquish the Source." Chris replied.

"What?" Wyatt asked surprised. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I was going to tell you along with everyone else." Chris replied. "In order for this to work, we all need to work together."

"I am actually glad you're back." Wyatt said after a moment of hesitation. "We still need to talk."

"God, not this again." Chris called out annoyed as he stood up. "I really don't have anything to say about this right now."

"Good, then listen for a change!" Wyatt snapped at him. "One way or another, you are going to hear what I have to say and we are going to work this out."

"Alright, fine." Chris said as he threw up his hands. "Let's just get this over with."

Before Wyatt could get a chance to talk, the brothers suddenly heard the front door slam shut and a moment later Penny and Henry appeared in the kitchen. Chris actually felt a little relieved they were there, though Wyatt let out an annoyed sigh. Whatever he wanted to discuss, it was obvious he wanted to do it in private. Chris wanted to grab his coffee, though he froze when Payton suddenly appeared next to him in white wisps.

"Wow, what is going on?!" Wyatt asked confused.

Payton sighed and quickly filled them in, explaining that she had been turned into a spirit due to personal gain over a spell she had cast, though she ensured them it was only temporary. Chris discovered it made him worry, not because she was a ghost, but because it could potentially mess up his vanquishing plan. A moment later, he hated himself for realizing that was the first thing he worried about, instead of his cousin's wellbeing. He really was becoming too obsessed. Perhaps Noah and everyone else was right.

"Where is Prue?" Chris eventually asked.

"Did someone say my name?" Prue asked as she appeared in the kitchen in a heart-shaped pink light.

"Hey sis, how is it going?" Penny asked with a smirk. "Where is the boyfriend?"

"Well, actually…" Prue began.

"Can we please talk about this later?" Chris asked annoyed. "I actually had something important I wanted to discuss."

"Okay, fine." Penny replied annoyed.

Chris headed out of the kitchen and entered the dining room, where he asked everyone to sit down. When everyone was seated, Chris called Noah and the whitelighter appeared in a column of orbs, holding an ancient looking scroll.

"Did you get what we need?" Chris asked.

"Got it." Noah replied as he held up the scroll.

"Wait, what is Noah doing here? Chris, what is going on?" Penny asked.

"I asked Noah to help me look into something." Chris explained. "I have come up with a plan to make a move against the Source. A preemptive strike before he comes after us again. We're going to vanquish the Source on our terms."

Everyone reacted confused and worried, though it was Wyatt who broke the silence. "Chris, this is crazy, the Source is too powerful. Anything we attempt now is dangerous enough to get us killed."

"So you would rather wait until the Source comes after us again?" Chris replied.

"Well, no, but…" Wyatt mumbled.

"Okay, just tell us the plan first, we can decide afterwards." Prue suggested.

"It is actually quite simple. Out main problem is that we don't have enough power. So we bring back the nexus, summon the Source, trap him in a crystal cage and vanquish him." Chris explained in a matter-of-fact manner.

"Okay, that sounds a bit too easy." Henry remarked. "Or am I missing something?"

"How would we even bring back the nexus? It was destroyed." Penny added.

"Uh, actually it was banished, not destroyed." Noah interrupted and placed the scroll on the table. "The Elders have provided us with a spell to bring it back."

"Wait, I thought the nexus is a force of nature, a spiritual focus point. How can be bring something like that back?" Payton asked.

"I shall explain." Noah said. "Chris, do you have a map of the city and a marker or something?"

"Sure." Chris replied.

Chris waved his arm and telekinetically orbed a map and a red marker on the table. Noah thanked him and grabbed the marker before starting to draw on the map. When he finished, he put the cap back on the marker and put it away. He walked across the table and placed the map in the middle. A pentagram was visible on the map.

"Alright." Noah said as he cleared his throat. "Payton is right, the nexus is a focus point of spiritual energy. It is located in the center of the five elements. We got earth, wood, metal, fire and water." He explained as he moved his finger across the map. "And right in the middle of those five elements, we have the manor."

"Yes, we all know that." Penny remarked.

"True, but here is the interesting part." Noah replied. "The original nexus was a natural focus point, and your ancestors build the manor exactly on this spot to access and guard the nexus. Your mothers used a spell to banish the nexus, and with this spell, you can bring it back."

"How?" Chris asked.

"Well, in order to bring it back, you will need to channel all five elements on their various spots around the city." Noah explained as he pointed at the five spots. "Each of you has to go to one of these points and cast the spell at the same time, while one remains at the manor and finishes it."

"So we will have to time it perfectly." Chris concluded.

"Yes, down to the minute. After the spell is cast, the elements will connect for a short moment." Noah replied. "If one of you is too early or too late, the spell will fail."

A silence fell over the room and Chris wondered why everyone was not more… anything. They barely seemed to react to this amazing news. They had a chance to go after the Source, so why were they not jumping at the chance to take him down? He felt like he was missing something.

"So what do you think?" Chris asked.

"I don't know. It seems like a huge risk." Prue said. "We've never done anything like this. Sure we have encountered demons before, but to go on the offensive like this? I don't know, it feels like tempting fate."

"I would love to get rid of the Source, but I think Prue is right." Penny added. "I mean, it took nine of us to take down Shax, we barely survived Barbas and now you want to go after the Source himself?"

"But with nexus on our side, we will be stronger than ever." Chris replied annoyed. "We have no idea what the Source is planning next, we might never get a chance like this again."

Chris looked around for support, though everyone seemed hesitant. Eventually, it was Wyatt who stood up. "I am not sure if this is the best idea we have, but it is at least something we need to seriously consider. Chris may be right, we might never get a chance like this again." Wyatt stated.

"Well, perhaps we should ask mom and aunt Paige." Payton said doubtfully. "I mean, they have faced him before. They might know what to do."

"Well, your mother is here." Wyatt suddenly said, as if he had forgotten about it before.

"What do you mean?" Prue asked confused. "She is in New York."

"No, she is here." Wyatt said. "She was just here an hour ago, she needed the Book of Shadows."

"Was something wrong?" Payton asked concerned.

"She said everything was fine." Wyatt replied. "But now that I think about it, I don't think I heard her leave."

"I got a bad feeling about this." Prue said as she stood up. "Mom would never show up like this without telling us. I am going to check on her."

As Prue headed up the stairs, Penny and Payton exchanged concerned looks and followed her. A moment later, the others followed them as well. Chris sighed as he looked at the map on the table. Things were not going as planned at all. He decided to follow the others up to the attic. When he got there, Phoebe was nowhere to be found. He noticed Prue looked at the Book of Shadows and walked up to her.

"Something has to be wrong." Prue stated.

Chris looked at the page in the book and saw it was open on a page called "To Find a Lost Love". Why would she be looking at a spell like this?" He asked confused.

"I don't know, but I get the feeling something is very wrong." Prue replied as she stared at the page. "Has anyone tried calling her yet?"

"Her phone is out of service." Penny replied as she put away her phone.

"Try casting the spell." Payton suggested.

Prue nodded and started chanting the spell. As she did, white orbs started swirling around her and she started to disappear. Suddenly, there was a blast of fire and Prue was thrown back into some furniture with a scream. Clearly something did not want them to reach her.

xxx


	5. Chapter 5

Legacy 104: Halliwell Family Values

Part 5

Xxx

Confused and disoriented, Phoebe Halliwell looked on ahead and saw nothing but caverns in front of her. It looked like she was still in the Underworld, but something felt wrong. The world around her seemed liquid, inconsistent and rippling instead of solid. She looked down at her arms and felt her face. She had been rejuvenated, from a woman in her fifties to a younger version of herself. She knew this world was not real, it was an illusion or a memory. Clearly, there was something he wanted to show her, and she wanted to know the truth.

Phoebe followed the cavern and suddenly saw a figure walking ahead of her. A woman dressed in a black cloak with silver linings. However, she could not see her face. The woman disappeared as soon as she had appeared. When Phoebe arrived at the end of the cavern, she saw she was in the coronation room. In the middle of the room stood the Seer with her hands resting on her belly as the unborn child in her stirred. A circle of demons surrounded her.

Phoebe over and saw herself and her sisters trapped in a metal cage. She remembered this, as it was in her dreams just yesterday. As the Seer fired a stream of intense blue fire at the cage, she and her sisters cast the Power of Three spell to protect themselves.

"Why are you showing me this?" Phoebe whispered.

The stream of fire deflected from the cage and hit the Seer before erupting in every direction, vanquishing all demons present. Suddenly, the woman in the black cloak appeared besides Phoebe. She held out her gloved hands and chanted something. As the Seer screamed and exploded in a blast of fire, a white light traveled through the air and entered the cloaked woman. Phoebe saw her belly swell as her unborn child was transferred to her womb. The woman then disappeared into the shadows.

"So that is how you survived." Phoebe stated more to herself than anyone else. "But who is she?"

Suddenly darkness surrounded Phoebe and she felt herself being pulled away. Her initial response was to resist, but she knew it was the only way to uncover the past, so she let go and was swept away into darkness once more.

Xxx

Back in the Halliwell manor, Payton suppressed her emotions and tried not to panic, which was pretty hard as her mother had disappeared into thin air. Meanwhile, Wyatt and Penny helped Prue to her feet after being blasted away after casting the spell in the book. She wanted to help as well, but as long as she was trapped in spirit form, she felt pretty useless.

"Oh, what happened?" Prue asked.

"Something blocked you from reaching aunt Phoebe." Chris replied as he studied the book. "Whatever it is, it must be really powerful."

"I don't understand any of this." Penny called out. "My mom shows up at the manor without telling anyone, casts a spell to teleport her to god knows where, and now she trapped?"

"We don't know for sure if she is trapped, only that we can't reach her." Wyatt replied.

"We should call dad." Payton said. "And aunt Paige or uncle Leo."

"But if aunt Phoebe did not tell them either, they won't know what to do either. We would only worry them." Chris stated. "Noah, can you check with the Elders to see if something is going on that we don't know about?"

"Sure." Noah replied before disappearing in a column of orbs.

Payton walked across the attic and stopped in front of the Book. Where could her mother be? If only she could touch the book to get a premonition. If only she had not cast the personal gain spell, then she could have done something. Now she felt guilty for being useless. For all she knew, her mother was in danger somewhere. As she thought about her mother being hurt, Payton suddenly gasped and felt herself being pulled into a premonition.

_In a dark cavern in the underworld, Phoebe stood across from the Source, they were arguing. He threw a fire ball, but she threw it back at him. Then he telekinetically threw her across the room and she hit the wall. The Source then hovered over her with an evil glare._

"Oh my god!" Payton called out as she was pulled out of her premonition.

"Payton, did you just have a premonition?" Prue asked confused. "You did not even touch anything."

"Guess her power is evolving." Wyatt reasoned. "At least we know she had powers in this form."

"I saw mom, he has her." Payton said after catching her breath.

"He?" Chris asked carefully. "He who?"

"The Source." Payton replied. "I recognized him from before. He has her trapped in the Underworld, he attacked her."

"Is she still alive?" Penny asked.

"She has to be." Chris replied before Payton could. "She would not have gotten a premonition for no reason. If that is what Payton saw, it means we still have a chance to save her."

"I hope you're right." Prue said.

"Wait a minute." Henry suddenly said. "I thought aunt Phoebe used a spell to teleport herself. The Source did not take her. Could she have gone there herself?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Penny snapped at him. "The spell is for finding lost loves."

"I don't know, something here feels wrong." Wyatt said. "Like we're missing something."

"Does it really matter?" Prue asked. "The Source has our mother. Chris talked about a preemptive strike. Well, it is not preemptive anymore. Right now, it might be the only thing we have to get our mother back."

"I agree, it is now or never." Penny added. "We need to save mom. Payton?"

Payton did not react, as she barely heard what the others were saying. She was still distracted by her premonition. She felt like she had only seen a small piece of a much bigger picture. There had to be a reason her mother confronted the Source.

"Payton!" Prue called out to her, snapping her back to reality. "Do you agree?"

"Yeah… I guess. We need to save mom." Payton mumbled.

"So we're all in agreement, then?" Wyatt confirmed, at which point everyone nodded. "Alright, Chris, tell us what we need to do. How do you want to handle this?"

"Yeah." Chris replied, though he seemed distracted as well. "The spell is downstairs, on the scroll. I need to check on something." Before anyone else could respond, Chris left the attic and the others exchanged confused looks.

Xxx

Chris stepped into his bedroom and closed the door behind him. He leaned against the door and sighed. He realized there was more going on than he originally believed. However, none of it seemed to make sense to him. There was only one person who could tell him more.

"I know you can hear me." Chris said aloud to the empty room.

Suddenly, smoke appeared in the full-length mirror in the corner and the beautiful face of the Seer appeared in swirling smoke. Chris walked over to the mirror.

"You lied to me." Chris said.

"I did not lie." The Seer replied casually.

"Well, then you have been keeping things from me." Chris said annoyed. "Something more is going on here, and you know more."

"I always know more." The Seer replied. "That is why they call me Seer."

"And you always seek to manipulate things so they suit your own needs." Chris said. "It is what you do. So what is in this for you?"

"I already explained that." The Seer replied. "The supposed Source and I don't see eye to eye. He wants me dead, and I have a keen interest in surviving."

"What do you mean supposed?" Chris asked confused.

"While he is the true Source, he has yet to officially assume leadership of the Underworld." The Seer said. "For that, he needs to coronated. That ceremony happens to take place tonight."

"So that is why you contacted me now." Chris concluded.

"I figured it was fitting." The Seer replied with a smile. "Let the entire underworld witness his vanquish once more. A humiliation from which he will never recover."

"I need to know one more thing, the most important thing." Chris said. "How is Phoebe involved in all of this?"

"Phoebe?" The Seer asked confused.

"Yes, don't tell me you didn't know. You must have foreseen it." Chris replied.

"No." The Seer replied a little concerned. "I see the future as it is supposed to happen. However, each action can alter the course of time in a million ways. If Phoebe herself had a premonition that caused her to act, the future I have foreseen may already be altered."

"What are you saying?" Chris asked.

"That I don't know what role she will play in this." The Seer said. "Those with the power to see the future can create their own paths. I cannot help you more than I have already done."

"I don't believe you." Chris said. "Even if you cannot foresee the future, you can still see the past. You must know why my aunt is involved."

"I'm sorry." The Seer remarked with raised eyebrow. "I don't involve myself with matters of blood. Whatever this is, your family will have to figure out yourselves."

Before Chris could reply, black smoke filled the mirror and when it withdrew, Chris found himself looking at his own confused reflection. Matters of blood, what did that mean? Her cryptic words did not make much sense to him. However, he could got get distracted by her, he needed to save his aunt, and finally ridding his family of the Source.

xxx

Still in her youthful form, Phoebe Halliwell found herself standing on a dark street in the middle of the night. She was in a wealthy neighborhood and in the distance, she saw the skyline of San Francisco. Phoebe turned and saw she was standing in front of a large gothic style mansion. It seemed very old and dark, like an evil presence surrounded it.

When she heard screaming from inside the mansion, Phoebe ran past the fence and headed inside. The mansion was just as dark on the inside. The screams came up upstairs, sounding like a woman in pain. Phoebe ran up the stairs and stopped at what appeared to be the master bedroom. She opened the door and saw an antique looking canopy bed with the dark red curtains closed. Only then did Phoebe recognize the clear sound of a woman in labor. She held her breath and a moment later, she heard a child cry. He had been born.

"Oh my god." Phoebe whispered as tears welled up in her eyes.

A strange feeling suddenly drew Phoebe away from the master bedroom as maids rushed in past her unaware of her presence. She walked across the hallway like there was another answer waiting for her. As she heard her son crying in the distance, she looked out a window and up at the bright sky. She saw the northern lights shine in the sky and realized what day it was.

xxx

When Chris arrived in the dining room, he noticed everyone was studying the spells they would have to perform. They all seemed to realize now that it needed to be done, not just to vanquish the Source, but to save Phoebe as well. However, now Chris himself was the one doubting. The Seer had thrown him off balance, her words were always twisted and Chris did not know whether to believe her or believe the exact opposite.

"What happened?" Wyatt asked as he looked up.

"Nothing, a false lead." Chris lied. "How is it going?"

"It doesn't seem that complicated." Prue replied. "The tricky part is to get the timing exactly right."

"And we need to be divide across these locations around town to channel the five elements." Wyatt added as he pointed at the map.

"Don't worry about the timing." Penny said. "I think I can create a telepathic link that will reach far enough. We'll know when the time is right."

At that moment, a column of orbs appeared on the other side of the room and Noah reappeared from the Heavens. Everyone looked at him hopefully.

"I wish I had better news." Noah said. "But the Elders were unaware of Phoebe's involvement."

"They don't know anything either?" Chris asked surprised.

"What do you mean either?" Noah replied to his question with a frown.

"Never mind." Chris quickly said. "We need to do this spell and fast."

"I agree." Noah said. "While the Elders did not know anything about Phoebe, they do suspect something big is about to happen in the Underworld. Dark forces are gathering."

"Why?" Wyatt asked worried.

"I wish I knew." Noah replied.

Chris hesitated. He knew he needed to come clean about what he knew from the Seer. They needed to know, despite what they might think of it. "The Source is being coronated tonight." He admitted.

Everyone fell silent and looked at him. "How do you know that?" Noah asked with a frown.

"Last night, I was contacted by the Seer." Chris replied as he stared down at the table. "She told me, just as she told me about the nexus."

"Are you kidding me?!" Prue called out. "We're doing all this on the word of a demon?"

"You have clearly lost your mind." Henry added. "I knew something was up."

As everyone continued to scream at him, Chris looked up at Wyatt, who had been remarkably quiet. He had not said a word, though he was looking at him with a look that Chris could only describe as hurt and disappointed. Chris then realized his mistake. He had condemned Wyatt for not telling the truth, and now he was the one lying and dealing with a demon in secret. How could he be so stupid?

Suddenly, his brother stood up and slammed his fist on the table, causing everyone to fall silent. Wyatt was typically kind and gentle, so they were all shocked by his outburst.

"Enough." Wyatt called out. "Yes, Chris was wrong by trusting a demon, but does it really matter? We got the spell from the Elders, we can trust them. And right now, it is the only way we have to aunt Phoebe."

"Yes, Wyatt is right." Noah added as he cleared his throat. "Wherever the idea came from, the Elders provided the means and you're the ones performing the spell."

"Okay." Prue eventually said with a sigh. "I don't like it, but it is our only choice. Tell us how this is all going to work."

"Okay." Chris said somewhat hesitantly. "In order to perform the spell, one of us has to stay here while the other five head out to five points to channel the elements. The person that remains here, starts the spell and the others call upon the element when the time is right. Once the spell is cast, the elements will connect and bring back the nexus."

"So who goes where?" Prue asked as she looked at the five spots on the map.

"Most of them are easy to reach." Wyatt replied. "We can teleport there. The only problem is the bay. We need to be on the right spot, which is on the water. Penny, can you levitate that far?"

"No, it's too far." Penny replied frustrated.

"Guys, you're forgetting you have a spirit here!" Payton suddenly said with a smile. She closed her eyes and suddenly rose a few inches of the ground.

"That is both creepy and strangely awesome at the same time." Henry remarked.

"Okay." Wyatt said somewhat surprised. "I guess Payton will take care of the water element. Prue and I can orb and beam Henry and Penny to any of the spots before going to our own."

"So you want me to be stay here and do the spell?" Chris asked with a frown.

"Yeah." Wyatt replied. "No matter how you got it, this was your idea."

Chris nodded in silence, he had not expected his brother to react like that. He wasn't quite sure how to take it, though. He would have preferred Wyatt to be angry at him, instead of acting like nothing was wrong. Perhaps they do needed that talk after all. He hated how thing were between them. The others discussed who should take what element.

"So is everyone clear on the plan?" Wyatt asked. "Just focus on the crystal and stick to the spell."

"We got it, Wyatt." Henry replied. "Let's do this."

"Hold on just a moment." Prue said. "I need to call Matt and tell him what is going on."

As she grabbed her phone and walked away, Noah turned to the others. "Yeah, I should probably report back to the Elders." He said quickly before disappearing in a column of orbs.

After Prue got back from her phone call, everyone got ready to take off. They agreed Chris would wait fifteen minutes before starting the spell, giving everyone enough time to get to their places and get ready. Penny used her telepathy to create a minor telepathic link, which would tell the others when the spell had started. Everyone then got ready and headed out to their destinations. This hard to work, Chris told himself. He stared at his watch and grabbed the spell before heading down to the basement.

xxx

In the apartment of Prue and Payton, Matt sighed as he hung up the phone and sat down the couch. Prue had just told him about what was going on with her family, which meant their romantic dinner was not happening any time soon. Even though he was a little disappointed, he just hoped her mother was alright. Nothing else mattered, not even the fact that his own time was running out as well. At dawn his solid form would be gone and he'd be a ghost once more.

Matt got up and walked over to the romantically set table, where he blew out the candles. With his solid form, his healthy appetite had returned as well, so at least the food he had prepared would not be wasted. He grabbed a plate and sat down in front of the TV. Strangely, holding a remote was one of the most basic things he had missed. However, before he could turn it on, a column of tiny blue lights appeared and took the shape of Noah, the girls' whitelighter.

"What are you doing here?" Matt asked concerned. "Is something wrong with Prue?"

"She is fine." Noah replied and Matt quickly realized that the whitelighter had come for a completely different reason. "We need to have a talk." He added in a serious tone.

"I figured as much." Matt replied. "Care for some dinner?"

xxx


	6. Chapter 6

Legacy 104: Halliwell Family Values

Part 6

xxx

Phoebe Halliwell walked around the dark mansion as she felt herself shifting through time. She was still shocked by the revelation that her son had been born within a day of her nephew Wyatt, though it made sense in a strange way, as he was conceived before him and Wyatt was born weeks early. However, it could not be a random strike of coincidence. As much as she had denied it for years, her son was more involved in the lives of her family than she realized.

Suddenly a shadow appeared before Phoebe and took form of a four year old boy, running through the hallways. She followed him and watched him age before her eyes as time shifted. Soon he was eight and running down the stairs. There was a crash and an eleven year old version was standing near a destroyed vase. The cloaked woman appeared and Phoebe screamed as she hit him across the face for breaking the vase. The boy cried and she hit him again to make him stop. Tears welled up in Phoebe's eyes and she witnessed it helplessly.

"I don't want to be here." A voice sounded.

Phoebe turned around and saw a thirteen year old version of her son standing before her. He was handsome like his father. He looked like Cole with brown eyes and short black hair, more so than he resembled her. He was dressed in black and seemed sad and frightened.

"Can you see me?" Phoebe asked confused.

"I don't want this. I am not ready." The boy replied.

"Calm down." Phoebe said softly as she took a step closer, though the boy backed away. "What is your name?"

"It is time. Don't make me do it." The boy said in fear. "Please."

The boy turned and walked away. Phoebe followed him into a large room with little furniture. There was a small table with a bowl and candles surrounding it. On the wall, a demonic reversed pentagram had been painted, with two cloaked demons at either side. The woman in the black cloak with silver linings entered.

"It is time." The woman spoke. "This is what you were born for. Now accept your fate."

The boy looked over his shoulder at Phoebe and she wanted to reach out to him, though she couldn't. The boy turned and kneeled down before the small table. He revealed a small blade and cut his finger, letting some blood drip into the bowl. The cloaked woman and the two demons started chanting a spell. Suddenly, the pentagram on the wall started turning and combusted in flames.

"No, don't make me!" The boy cried out.

"You must. You have been prepared for this your entire life." The cloaked woman replied.

A stream of black particles emerged from the pentagram and started swarming around the room. The particles swarmed around the two demons and both screamed as they combusted in flames. Phoebe watched in horror as the streams started to swirl around her son and he got up to cover his face and chase them away as he continued screaming.

"No!" Phoebe cried out as she stood there helpless. She knew she was powerless and she felt paralyzed. She felt it was all her fault.

The streams black particles entered the boy through his mouth and nostrils and he fell silent. Then he screamed as he looked at the ceiling and his eyes were engulfed in flames before turning pure black. The boy calmed down, and Phoebe realized the Source of All Evil had returned. He stared at his own body and turned to the cloaked woman, who bowed slightly.

"My lord." The cloaked woman said, though there was little respect in her voice.

"What took you so long?" the Source asked in a demonic voice.

"It took time to gather all that was needed for the ritual." The cloaked woman said. "Also, the boy needed to reach a certain age, otherwise his body could not handle your return. Either way, I kept my end of the deal."

"It will take time to return to my full power." The Source replied. "Years even. As powerful as this body is, it still needs to mature."

Shadows filled the room and the figures faded away, leaving Phoebe alone in the darkness. She fell to her knees and cried. How could she have lived her life in happiness without knowing what was going on. She did not even know her son was alive, she did not even consider him hers to begin with. How could she live with herself now that she knew the truth?

The shadows faded and Phoebe found herself back in the Underworld. She was back in reality. As she sat up, she wiped away her tears. The Source emerged from the shadows.

"You monster!" Phoebe screamed as she launched herself at him.

"No!" the Source said as he raised a hand and telekinetically stopped her in tracks. "You are the true monster. After all, you abandoned your son to begin with. This all started with you, Phoebe."

"Who was she?" Phoebe asked, thinking of the woman in the silver lined cloak.

"Unimportant." The Source replied. "She was a means to an end, nothing more. A back-up plan to secure my return in case of my untimely vanquish."

"So what now?" Phoebe asked.

"Now it is time for my coronation." The Source replied. "I will assume my rightful place and ruler of the Underworld, and nothing will be able to stop me. Guards!" Two demonic guards entered the cavern grabbed Phoebe by each arm. "Take the prisoner to the coronation room. Her sacrifice will ensure my rise to power."

Phoebe screamed and struggled. As she was being dragged, she looked at the face of her son. She wondered if any part of him was still alive, if he still had a soul buried deep under all that evil. When she looked into his eyes, she saw nothing but evil, though when she screamed she was sorry, she saw a short flicker of something else.

xxx

While staring at his watch, Chris stood impatiently in the basement on the Halliwell manor. He felt nervous. This would be the most impressive and important spell they had ever cast. As the minutes ticked away, Chris hoped everyone had gotten to their position in time. He got nothing from the telepathic connection, that would only inform the others when the spell had started. He really needed this to work. He stared at his watch and saw the last seconds ticking away.

Chris kneeled down and drew a large pentagram on the floor with white chalk, each point representing one of the five elements of nature. He then stepped aside and started chanting the spell. This had to work.

"_From ancient time this power came,_

_For all to have but none to reign._

_Banished once, we witches implore,_

_Unite the elements five to now restore_."

* * *

As she stood in Kenwood Park late in the evening, Prue felt a sensation through the telepathic connection and knew it was time. She closed her eyes and held out her hands in the direction of the manor. "Wood."

* * *

"Fire." Wyatt said as he stood surrounded by the hot springs.

* * *

Henry looked down on the city from the twin peaks and held out his hands. "Earth."

* * *

While standing in the middle of Mountain Park, Penny held out her hands. "Metal." She said as she felt it was time through the telepathic connection.

* * *

A in the middle of the bay, Payton Halliwell floated a few inches above the peaceful waves, about a hundred feet from the shore. "Water." She said.

* * *

In the basement, Chris watched as bright white lights appeared on each of the five points of the elements as his family channeled the elements. Determined, he continued the spell.

"_We call the forces of nature to embrace,_

_Restore the suxen in this time and space_."

The white lights on the pentagram started burning brighter and started to connect across the lines, forming a perfect pentagram. Suddenly, a beam of white light shot up. Across five points around San Francisco, a bright white light appeared and it shot it several directions, forming a pentagram across the entire city. Although invisible to mortals, all magical beings could sense its power. The pentagram started to move to the center, engulfing the city in light. The lights circled in across the Halliwell manor and disappeared inside. Chris looked in amazement as the lights withdrew to the pentagram drawn of the floor and then unleashed one final flash of bright light. He could feel the power in every fiber of his being and knew it had worked.

Xxx

The Source of All Evil walked through a dark tunnel in the Underworld. The coronation was almost upon him and nothing could stop him from reclaiming what had always been his. Not even the Halliwells could stand in his way now, soon they would all die. Suddenly, the Source groaned in pain and leaned against the wall. The inside of his head felt like it was being torn apart. He suppressed the feeling and pushed it away. It would all be over soon, then he would be in complete control. He had come too far to be stopped now.

Out of nowhere, there was a sensation of power and the entire Underworld trembled. A few rocks and some dust fell down from the ceiling and the Source wiped it off his cloak. A moment later, the dark priest that had been his faithful servant entered the tunnel.

"What was that?" the Source asked.

"A great power has been restored." The Dark Priest said. "The power of nature itself."

"The Nexus." The Source concluded angrily. "The Halliwells know I have her. They will attempt a rescue. We need to hurry and move along with the coronation."

"My lord, preparations are still…" The Dark priest began.

"I said now!" the Source screamed at him. "Get it done. The coronation must be over before I face them again."

The Dark Priest quickly bowed his head and hurried away as soon as his old feet could. The Source angrily slammed his fist against a wall and caused it to crumble. It was not over yet, he would get what he had worked for all these years. And then the witches would get what was coming to them once and for all.

Xxx

Chris waited in the conservatory for the others to return and paced around. He knew the spell had been successful, but that had only been the first stage of the plan. Now came the hard part. When orbs appeared, Chris looked up and saw Wyatt and Henry appear. A moment later, the girls all appeared as well.

"It worked, didn't it?" Penny asked. "I felt it. It was like this wave of power."

"Yeah, it worked." Wyatt replied. "Unbelievable, we actually did it."

"Don't get too excited." Chris warned them. "What is coming next will even more difficult. Now we get the Source here and vanquish him."

"What about my mom? We need to summon them both." Payton said.

"Now that we have the nexus on our side, that should not be a problem." Chris replied. "Come on, let's set up in the attic."

Chris led the others to the attic and they got ready for their plan. While Prue and Penny wrote a summoning spell, Wyatt gathered the crystals while Henry got some reserve potions from the trunk just in case. They could not be too careful, since they were dealing with the true source of evil. There was no room for mistakes, so they discussed their strategy until it was perfect. When everyone felt ready and confident enough, or at least, not scared out of their minds, Chris told Prue and Penny to cast the summoning spell.

"_We call upon to the spirits to find,_

_Those we seek with heart and mind,_

_The strongest power we invoke,_

_Break through chains and evil cloak,_

_We summon loved one and evil foe,_

_To bring them forth from hell below."_

Xxx

Dressed in a ceremonial black cloak with heavy metallic wings attached, the Source strode through the coronation room past the demons representing the Underworld as the new infernal council. In the center of the room, the Dark priest stood with the Grimoire on its pedestal and large torches surrounded the room in a perfect circle. Across the room, near the shattered cage, Phoebe Halliwell stood with both arms chained against a pillar and a gag in her mouth. He smirked at her tears and felt nothing but distain toward her. Soon she would be dead. He ignored the pounding in his head.

"My lord, please kneel down so we can begin the ceremony." The Dark Priest said.

The Source kneeled down and the priest opened the Grimoire. All demons present bowed their heads as the priest raised his hand and started chanting in an ancient demonic language. The Source closed his eyes, ready to receive the true force of the Underworld. Suddenly, several demons gasped in shock and the Source opened his eyes. He looked aside and saw white orbs swirling around Phoebe as she started to disappear.

"No!" The Source screamed as he stood up and threw a fire ball, but it was too late.

"My Lord." The Dark Priest called out.

The Source looked at him furiously. Only then did he notice that white orbs had started swirling around him as well. Before he could respond, he was enveloped in white lights and the Underworld disappeared from his sight.

Xxx

Chris leaned against a wooden truck hidden behind the couch in the attic as he waited. He felt his brother breathing next to him. After casting the summoning spell, everyone had taken cover. They all knew what to do. All they needed to do was wait. The suspense was killing him. Suddenly two streams of white orbs appeared.

"Incoming!" Chris called out, this was it.

The first stream of white orbs formed into Phoebe, who had a gag in her mouth and had obviously been bound. Henry ran forward and pulled her away, dissolving into orbs to protect them both from potential harm. Chris and Wyatt then jumped up and both raised their hands. Five white crystals orbed in a perfect circle and formed a crystal cage as the Source appeared. He stared at them furiously, with his eyes engulfed in flames. When the large metallic wings on his back hit the crystal cage, they were destroyed, shocking him and forcing him to his knees.

"Now, before he has a chance to break free." Wyatt called out.

Prue, Penny and Payton appeared out of hiding the same time Chris and Wyatt stepped forward. Meanwhile, Henry helped Phoebe up. All six of them started to cast the vanquishing spell.

"_Prudence, Penelope_

_Patricia, Melinda,_

_Astrid, Helena,_

_Laura and Grace,_

_Halliwell Witches,_

_Stand strong beside us_

_Vanquish this evil…"_

The Source screamed in pain as fire surrounded him. However, before any on them could finish the spell, Phoebe pulled the gag from her mouth and threw herself between them and the crystal cage, yelling at them to stop. As the spell was left unfinished, the flames subdued and the Source laughed. Phoebe shot him a quick glare and turned to her family.

"Aunt Phoebe, what you doing?!" Chris called out. "This is our best shot."

"You can't vanquish him." Phoebe replied determined as she turned to the Source. "At least not all of him. I know he is still alive in there, I can sense it."

"You bitch, you should have vanquished me when you had the chance!" The Source snapped at her and he rose to his feet. "Even if his soul was still alive in here, he is beyond saving. I am bound to him as much as he is to me. We are one and the same."

"No, I can sense he is resisting you." Phoebe replied.

"Mom, what is going on? What are you talking about?" Prue called, she seemed both upset and confused. None of them knew what was going on.

"I know this seems strange, but you need to trust me." Phoebe said as she turned and walked to the Book of Shadows. "There has to be a way. I am not giving up on him twice. I can't."

"What are you talking about?" Penny asked confused. "Tell us what is going on."

However Phoebe ignored her and she grabbed a piece of paper and started flipping through the Book of Shadows while muttering to herself about different spells while scribbling on the paper.

At the same time, the Source closed his eyes and formed a large fire ball in his hands with swirling metallic rings. It grew in size and power by the second and Chris realized it would eventually be strong enough to break out of the cage, and take all them down with it when it exploded. Whatever his aunt Phoebe was doing, she needed to hurry.

"We can't stand by and do nothing!" Prue called out. "What if he is controlling her somehow?"

"Honey, it is me. You just need to trust me for now." Phoebe replied with some desperation in her voice. "I am doing what needs to be done. It is the only way."

After finishing her improvised spell, Phoebe walked to the crystal cage and looked at the Source. While she seemed sympathetic to him for some reason, he looked back at her with a hateful glare,

"This will never work. I am never releasing this body. And when I get out of this cage, I will slaughter your entire family, but I will let you live, so you can suffer over all the mistakes you made." The Source told her in spite.

"I know I made a lot of mistakes. I just hope I can correct this one. I don't except him to forgive me, but at least he will be free of you." Phoebe told him as she took a step back from the crystal cage. She then wiped away a tear and started casting the spell she had written.

"_I call forth from space and time,_

_Matriarchs of the Halliwell Line,_

_Gather now in this sacred place,_

_Help me bring this soul to grace,_

_Set him free from the evil within,_

_Expel the dark essence from his skin,_

_Blood to blood, I summon thee,_

_Blood to blood, return to me."_

As she finished the spell, Phoebe revealed an athame she had taken earlier and cut herself in her hand, pressing it against the crystal cage. Suddenly, white wisps of the Halliwell line appeared and started surrounding them. A shocked Source released the fire ball he had formed and it dissolved. As the wisps coursed through the crystal cage, it shattered, unleashing a powerful blast that threw everyone except the Source off their feet. The Source screamed and as the white wisps entered his body and fell to his knees in agony. As he started to glow in a silvery white light, a darkness emerged from his nostrils and mouth, which swirled across the room before disappearing through the floor. When the darkness had gone, the wisps left his body and faded away. Chris looked up at the Source, who sat there in silence, before losing consciousness.

xxx


	7. Chapter 7

Legacy 104: Halliwell Family Values

Part 7

Xxx

As Phoebe became aware of her surroundings, she hoped the spell had worked. She hoped that after everything she had done wrong, she at least did something right. Now that she knew the truth, she did not know if she could ever truly forgive herself. The child she had discarded so carelessly all those years ago was alive, and she was determined not to let him suffer a second longer.

Phoebe looked around and saw that the others had been knocked out by the blast, though they did not seem to be hurt. She looked at the center of the blast and saw her son sitting on his knees, staring at the floor. If the spell had worked, the essence had been expelled, though she truly had no idea what had been left behind. She did not know if he remembered what happened. Did he even still possess a soul after what he had been through, or had it been burned away by the essence? She had seen something in his eyes, but she did not know what.

Phoebe walked toward him and reached out her hand, though before she could touch him, he suddenly grabbed her hand and they both disappeared in flames. They reappeared on a dark beach and Phoebe fell in the sand. She looked up and saw her son standing close, looking at the sea.

"What the hell did you do?" her son asked without looking at her.

"I expelled the essence, let the light drive out the darkness." Phoebe replied. "I wanted to set you free from the Source."

"It still feels like darkness. My mind is empty, no voices screaming at me, no more pain." Her son said as he stared at his arms. "And for the first time in years, I am in control again."

Phoebe walked over, though before she could touch him, he pulled away and turned around. "Don't touch me!" He called out angrily. "You are nothing to me! You abandoned me, left me to die."

"I am sorry. I truly am." Phoebe whispered in tears.

"I could see everything, hear everything." Her son replied. "The essence and I were one, yet I was trapped in a prison. I felt what he felt, believed that what he wanted, I wanted as well. I was he Source, now I am… I don't know."

"You're my son. Mine and Cole's." Phoebe said. "And I am truly sorry for everything that has happened you. If I had known…"

"You should have known." He replied bitterly. "You could have known, if you hadn't lied to yourself all these years."

"You're right." Phoebe replied filled with regret. "I took the easy way out. I tried to avoid the pain. I convinced myself you were nothing more than the Source, that you had no soul. After I believed you had died, it was like you were never mine or Cole's. The Seer told me, and I will always blame myself for believing her."

"It was the tonic." Her son replied as he turned back to the sea. "When the essence entered me, I learned the truth. The tonic you were given was meant to suppress any emotion. It was designed to kill my soul, so the Source could take hold of me."

"The Seer tried to poison you." Phoebe said. "I stopped drinking it because it felt wrong. And now I realize that I was wrong all along. Now I know that your souls survived."

"How do you know I have a soul?" Her son asked skeptically. "I feel nothing."

"But I do." Phoebe replied saddened. "I can feel it all, the pain, the confusion… the hate toward me. I can sense your soul."

Her son did not reply and kept staring at the waves crashing against the rocks. Phoebe wanted to reach out to him, but sensed that he would not let her, perhaps never. "So what happens now?" She asked as she wiped her tears.

"I don't know." Her son replied. "My entire life, I was trained to become his vessel. I don't know anything else."

"So what is this place? Why did you bring me here?" Phoebe asked as she looked around.

"I remember this place from my childhood." Her son replied. "When she was away, I used to sneak out and came here. It is the only good memory I have."

"Who was she? The woman in the silver lined cloak." Phoebe asked.

"She is no longer important." Her son replied. "I don't remember what happened to her, but I know that she is gone. The Source could sometimes shut me out, so I could not hear or see. Even though we felt like one and the same, he still had secrets from me."

"All that matters is that you're free now." Phoebe said. "We can find a way to move forward."

"No!" her son called out angrily as he telekinetically pushed her away. "You don't understand! You are nothing to me. You are not my mother. You gave up the right to call me your son long ago. I can never forgive or accept you."

Phoebe fell silent as she realized he was right. A small part of her hoped it would be different, but she always knew it could never end another way. She had lost him before she even had him, and now he was a stranger to her. A stranger that hated her deeply and had every reason to do so. She could not expect otherwise. Her son looked down on her with bitterness and turned around.

"Wait." Phoebe called out. "I just need to know one last thing."

"And what is that?" her son asked as he turned to her.

"Do you have a name?" Phoebe asked.

Her son smirked and shook his head. "My name is Julian." He announced. "Julian Turner. It was given to me by the demon who raised me."

Her son was engulfed in flames and disappeared from the beach, leaving Phoebe alone with her pain and regrets. She sat in the sand for what seemed to be an eternity, until she was bathed in a pink light and felt two loving arms around her. Coop lifted her up from the sand. He told her he had sensed her pain and that it was heartbreaking. He told her he loved her no matter what. Feeling his eternal love, Phoebe poured her heart out.

Xxx

Later that night, almost at dawn, Phoebe called for a family meeting in the dining room of the Halliwell manor. Her daughters and their cousins, as well as her sister Paige, were there. They all needed to know, it had stayed hidden for far too long. With Coop there to support her, she sat down at the table and told her family everything that had happened. They listened with blank faces, though Phoebe could sense their emotions shifting between confused, angry and conflicted with every word that came out of her mouth. When she had finished her story, she placed her hands on the table and felt Coop's hands on her shoulder.

"Oh honey." Paige said tearfully as she placed a hand on her arm. "I am so sorry."

Phoebe knew there were no other words she needed to hear from her sister. They did not need words to express how they felt and she knew Paige understood. It was all she needed from her.

"So he is your son?" Prue asked confused. "As in the son of you and Cole? We have a half-brother?"

"Yes." Phoebe simple replied.

"This is insane." Penny called out as she jumped up and her chair fell down. "We can't have a demon in the family! What the hell?"

"We don't." Chris replied. "He made it clear he wants nothing to do with us, and I say keep it that way. Even though he was possessed by the essence, he was still the Source."

"But he was never in control, right?" Payton replied. "Doesn't that make him a victim instead of a bad guy?"

"We don't know anything about him." Chris replied. "He could be just as dangerous as the Source himself. He is still insanely powerful, like Wyatt used to be."

"I still can't believe he was born the same day as me." Wyatt said stunned. "What does that even mean? That can't be random, right?"

"Actually, he was born the day before you." Paige corrected him. "The northern lights were the night before you were born."

"Oh, so you mean he was born during the event that caused all magic to disappear? That is comforting." Chris remarked.

"Enough." Phoebe said as she raised her hands. "I understand this is difficult to process, but we need to figure this out as a family, united. Perhaps there will be a day Julian changes his mind, and on that day, I will welcome him."

"Well, we can't promise the same." Chris replied.

"I agree." Penny added instantly.

"I really need some time. This is too much to handle." Prue said as she stood up. "I don't even know what to say to you, mom. I can't even look at you right now!"

Before Phoebe could respond, Prue stormed off and a moment later, the front door slammed shut. Phoebe suppressed her tears while the others got up as well. Penny was furious and did not even look at her. The only one who did was Payton, who looked at her with a sympathetic look and an ever so faint smile before heading off with her cousins. Only Coop and Paige remained with her, on her side. They sat in silence until Paige told her that she needed to get back home, and that she would inform Leo and the others in the morning. She gave her a hug before orbing away and Phoebe felt a little comforted.

"Let's head home." Coop said. "To New York I mean, I think they will all need time."

"You're right." Phoebe said as she sighed and suppressed her tears, she had cried enough for one day. "Just take me home." She added and Coop hugged her and kissed her on the forehead before beaming them away in a pink light.

Xxx

When Prue Halliwell returned to her, she dropped her coat on the table without turning on the lights. After all that had happened and all that she had learned, she needed a drink. She could not even process all the information, it all felt like a strange dream and she wished that were true. Her family seemed even more screwed up that she always thought.

"Hey." A voice suddenly sounded and she nearly had a heart attack.

Prue spun around and saw Matt sitting on a chair in the dark. "Sorry." He said when he realized he had startled her.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?" Prue asked as she turned on the lights. She turned to the table and saw the romantic set-up. "I am so sorry." She added feeling guilty.

"It's alright." Matt replied. "Your family comes first. So what happened?"

"I can't even wrap my head around it." Prue replied as she grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses from the cupboard. "I can't talk about it yet, can we just sit for a moment?"

"Sure." Matt replied.

Prue sat down on the couch and poured them both some wine. Matt sat down next to her and she handed him a glass. With her own glass in hand, she sat down close to him leaned against him. He felt comfortable, exactly what she needed.

"Prue." Matt whispered after a while. "We need to talk."

"What do you mean?" Prue asked, sensing it was serious. "Is something wrong?"

"It's almost dawn, meaning the spell will be lifted." Matt replied.

"I know, I wish we could had some more time together." Prue replied as she placed her hand on his arm. However, she noticed a conflicted look in his eyes and became worried. "What is going on?"

"I don't want to hurt you, Prue." Matt replied.

"You're not." Prue replied concerned. "We both knew what we were getting into. Why are you saying this?"

"But I will hurt you." Matt replied saddened. "Each second I spent with you, will end up hurting more. We can never be truly together. And I think we should stop pretending."

"What exactly are you saying?" Prue asked, though she feared she already knew.

"When the spell wears off, I am moving on." Matt replied. "Every moment I spend with you, makes it harder to let go. I realized I have no choice, the sooner I leave, the less it will hurt for the both of us."

"Where is this coming from?" Prue asked suspiciously.

"That doesn't matter." Matt replied as he took her hands in his. "I made this decision on my own. Staying any longer will be unfair to both of us."

"I wish it didn't have to be like this. That we could have gotten a fair chance." Prue replied sadly.

"I know. I wish the same." Matt said as he kissed her hands. "But this is the way it has to be. The sun will rise in about an hour. I can leave if you want me to."

"No, I want you to stay." Prue replied. "I don't want to be alone right now. Can you just stay and hold me one last time?"

"Of course." Matt replied with a smile.

Matt leaned down on the couch and Prue curled up against him, pacing her head on his chest as he held her. They spent the hour in silence and Prue felt able to calm down. Matt was the quiet support she needed to process all that had happened. Eventually, she fell asleep in his arms. When she woke up, light was shining in from the window and Matt was gone. She knew she would miss him, but she was glad for the things they shared and felt grateful he had been there.

Xxx

The following afternoon, after a short and horrible night of sleep, Chris woke up and headed downstairs after getting dressed. He found his brother sitting on the steps in front of the manor with a cup of coffee and sat down next to him. Wyatt quietly drank his coffee as he stared at the street.

"What are you doing out here?" Chris asked.

"Thinking." Wyatt replied. "The manor is a little crowded, I think Penny and Payton are still asleep."

"What about the spell Payton cast?" Chris asked.

"Considering she was snoring on the couch, I think it ended." Wyatt replied with a smile. "Quite a stunt she pulled to help Prue out."

"I know." Chris replied. "Guess siblings would do anything for each other."

"I guess." Wyatt remarked distantly as he stared at the street.

"Look, I think we need to talk." Chris said after a moment. "I know I screwed up. I have treated you unfairly and I am sorry. I need to learn to get over his judgmental and obsessive thing. Especially since I am the one who took advice from a demon."

"Yeah." Wyatt replied casually.

"Could you maybe say a little more than that?" Chris asked annoyed. "I am really trying here."

"I know." Wyatt replied with a faint smile. "You're a really difficult person. You're neurotic, obsessive, judgmental, stubborn. Pretty much, you're just a dick."

"Yeah, I believe I had just covered that." Chris replied.

"But you forgot the dick part, which was important." Wyatt replied. "Look, I know you feel bad and guilty and whatever, and you should, but I am not going to give you a hard time anymore. What's done is done. After all, you are still my brother."

"That's is? That is all you have to say?" Chris asked surprised.

"What else do you want me to do?" Wyatt asked. "Do you want me to kick your ass, because I would happily do that if it makes you feel better. And you know I'd win."

"Very funny." Chris remarked. "So things are really okay between us?"

"We're getting there." Wyatt replied. "Just promise me we'll be honest from now on, okay? No more dark secrets."

"Alright." Chris said. "Guess we already got plenty of those in the family."

"You bet." Wyatt replied. "What are we going to do about him? Do you really think he is dangerous?"

"I don't know." Chris replied. "I mean, being raised like that and then spent half your life being possessed? How can anyone come out that completely sane? I don't know for sure if he is dangerous, but if he is, we may have an even bigger problem."

"What do you think happened to the essence?" Wyatt asked. "Was it destroyed?"

"I wouldn't count on it, the essence of pure evil, remember?" Chris said. "I think it will be back at some point in the future, but I don't think we have to worry about that anytime soon. Last time it took him decades to return to power."

"I sure hope you're right." Wyatt replied.

As the brothers sat in silence, they looked out at the street. Chris felt relieved that things between him and Wyatt were better, even though they still had things to work on. The trust between them needed to be rebuild in time. However, Chris was confident that things would get better from here.

Xxx

In the coronation room of the Underworld, the elderly Dark Priest scuffled across the floor with the Grimoire clutched in his bony hands. After the Source had been summoned away, all demons present had felt what had occurred, the Source was no more. Once again, it was all demons for themselves. Soon new forces would rise and the Grimoire needed to be protected until the time was right. As he tried to enter a corridor, a woman in a silvery black cloak suddenly appeared before him.

"My lady…" the priest mumbled confused. "I believed you were…"

"We don't have time for this." The cloaked woman replied. "Come with me."

The woman held out her hand and grabbed the priest by the wrist, shimmering them both away. They reappeared in a large room with a large chandelier burning above them. In the middle of the room stood a table with an ancient looking vase on it, though it had several cracks, as if it had shattered once and had been restored. More importantly, he recognized it.

"Do you know why I brought you here?" the woman asked.

"I suspect so." The priest replied. "I cannot be certain it will work."

"Make it work." The woman replied impatiently. "If we do not act fast, the essence will be lost."

The dark priest nodded and quickly opened the Grimoire and started looking for the spell he needed. Meanwhile, the cloaked woman walked to the table and nodded. As the priest started to cast the spell in an ancient demonic language, the woman opened the vase. Streams of black particles emerged from all cracks and corners of the room. They swirled into the vase and an infernal fire burned inside. The woman closed the vase and smiled contently as she removed her cloak, revealing her short black hair, dark brown eyes and fiery red lips.

"Thank you." Elizabeth Turner said as she formed an Energy Ball in her hand. The priest screamed as she threw it at him and he combusted in fiery explosion. "Thank you very much." She added with a smirk as she placed her hand on the vase.

xxx

To Be Continued


End file.
